Historical Changes of the Center of Buddhist Culture in Northwestern China

It has been more than 2,000 years since Buddhism was introduced into Northwestern China in 100 B.C. However, the center of Buddhist culture in northwestern China continued to transfer in different periods of time in history. Buddhism was first introduced into the Western Regions, where the Buddhist center was located for quite some time. Up to the Western and Eastern Jin and the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Buddhism had become prevailing in the east of northwestern China. The center of Buddhist culture transferred to the Guanzhong Area in the Sui and the Tang Dynasty. However, following the Song Dynasty, the Chinese-style Buddhism declined gradually while the Tibetan-style Buddhism loomed large soon in Hetao and Dunhuang areas and became flourishing there in the Yuan Dynasty. Since then Hetao and Dunhuang areas became known as the center of Buddhist culture in modern and contemporary China.